The Catholic Church says it is committed to opening its schools to children of other faiths and denominations.
In a pastoral letter outlining its vision for Catholic education in a multi-cultural Ireland, the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference said the presence of non-Catholic pupils in its schools represented “an enrichment of the educational experience offered by the school”.
The bishops said the current level of diversity in Catholic schools should be seen as a practical expression of the church’s commitment to inclusivity.
The letter, entitled Vision 08 – A Vision for Catholic Education in Ireland, states that with the number of priests and religious people involved in education in decline, its congregations are in the process of exploring new forms of trusteeship to run schools.
“By these means, some or all responsibility for the schools they formerly administered will be transferred to trusts made up wholly or partly of lay people,” it said.
Bishop Leo O'Reilly, Chair of the Education Commission of the Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference, said there is no doubt that the profile of Catholic schools will change as they respond to the new challenges and opportunities of multiculturalism.
He said the Vision 08document clearly states "that all pupils whether they profess a religious belief or not are important and schools exist to care for and facilitate their growth as individuals and members of society".
“As Ireland changes from a homogeneous country to a multi-cultural society, diversity in schools increases. We are conscious of this dynamic and we will play our part in assisting our schools in continuing to be places of welcome, respect and tolerance,” he said.
The pastoral letter follows the launch of the church’s policy document on primary schools last year in which it said it had no desire to be the sole provider of education in individual communities in Ireland.
Today's letter provides further evidence of how the Catholic Church now sees itself as a partner in the provision of education.
The document also announced plans by the Bishops to establish a national Catholic Education Service on the island to provide support for those involved in Catholic education.
